Vibrating drive



Dec. 8, 1936. B. B. LACY 2,063,509

VIBRATING DRIVE Filed May 2, 1955 atented Dec. 8, 1936 i Q UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE r 2,063,509 r VIBRATING muvE Benjamin, B. Lacy, Houston, Tex. Application May 2, 1935, Serial No. 19,511 5 Claims. (01. n-sn This invention relates to devices fortranslat- I if the normal speed is exceeded, thus overc'oming rotary motion into gyrating or vibrating moing the temptation of the ,workman to speed tion and has for its object to provide a device up the engine ,with the thought of getting of this kind which will remain ineffective during through the work faster, but without due re- 5 acceleration ofthe rotary drive and will come gard to the limitations of the machine. For 5 into operation only when a speed approaching instance, the machine may be designed so as to that of normal operation is reached. be unbalanced only at a speed between 1700 It has been found that the acceleration of and 2000 R. P. M. and not above or below that gyrating or vibrating devices is attended by exrange.

1o cessive shaking of the whole machine as certain The invention will be further explained with speeds are passed through; This diiiiculty is reference to illustrative examples shown in the -'avoid ed by my invention by rendering the gyratdrawing, in which 'ing or vibrating device Qoperative only after the Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic plan view critical speeds which cause convulsions of the of a shaking sifter with which the invention machine have been passed. Preferably the may be used, 5

gyrating or vibrating motion is made to start Fig. 2 is a section through one of the unbalas the machine approaches its normal operating ancing mechanisms, on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, speed and to attain its full amplitude when that and speed has been reached. Fig. 3 is a similar section through another This, invention is of particular importance in formof unbalancing mechanism.

unbalanced driving devices, such as are used for The drawing shows a sieve comprising a screen vibrating sieves having a reciprocating or gyrat- 2 and side plates 4 supported by springs 5 upon ing motion, all of which motions I shall refer bed pieces 8. Inthe side boards 4 are hearings to herein as vibrating motions. These devices I in which is journalled a shaft l2. The shaft run at fairly high rotary speeds, usually around i2 is connected through two universal joints 1800 R. P. M., and while they operate smoothly l4 and an extensible shaft section It with the at the speed for which they are intended, during shaft l8 of a prime mover 20, for instance a acceleration they pass through certain speeds at steam turbine. Upon both sides of the sieve, which the vibration increases to a violent conhousings 22 are fixed to the shaft 12 and these 0 vulsion, which taxes the strength of the machine housings contain. the unbalancing mechanism and puts such a load upon the prime mover which embodies this invention. It is well known as torequire the use of a higher power than that with a rig of the kind .described, with unis needed in normal operation. The difliculty balanced eccentric weights at the location of the is particularly serious when the prime mover is housings 22,- whenthe shaft I2 is rotated the not one having steady. characteristics,- such' as sieve will be made to vibrate or gyrate, accordan electric motor, but is, for example, a steam ing to the nature of its supporting means, .by turbine, the speed of which may fluctuate in the centrifugal forces exerted by the unbalanced response to conditions such as water in the steam weights.

line. If the machine runs forany considerable Referring now to Fig. 2, the housing 22 contime at the unfavorable speeds mentioned, seritains two arms 30 and 32, each bearing at its ous damage is apt to occur. ends a weight 34, 36 and each being pivoted at My invention eliminates this difiiuclty by using s pp i nd y P 38% h i e Waller an unbalancing mechanism which remains balwalls of the housing. The arms may have cyanced while the machine is accelerating and lindrical abutments-40 whichrest against shaft 415 which becomes unbalanced only when the speed II when the arms are in their inner positions, of normal operation is approached. Preferably and they can swing outward to the dotted line the unbalancing mechanism is of such form that positions, where they are stopped by screws 42. the change from balanced to unbalanced com The weighted ends of the arms are urged indition is reversible, so that the convulsions are ward by springs 44, 46, the outer ends of which avoided during deceleration as well as accelerabear against stops 48 located in recesses 50 of 50 tion and also. during any temporary sub-normal the housing and adjustable by means of set speed. a screws 52. The spring 46 is stiffer than spring In accordance with a further feature of the 44, either because of being of a heavier size, or invention the balancing mechanism may be being adjusted to a greater degree of compresadapted to change to a balanced condition again sion by its set screw, or both. 55

. centrifugal force of the weight The unbalancing device operates in the following manner: During the acceleration of the shaft l2 and the unbalancing mechanism, the weighted arms 30 and 32 are held in against the shaft by the springs 44 and 4B. In this position the weighted arms, which lie in the same plane transverse to the rotary axis, balance each other and the mechanism revolves freely without vibration, accelerating easily towards the lower limit of its normal range of operating speed. On approaching the lower limit of the normal operating speed, say 1700 R. P. M., the

34 begins to exceed the stress due to the initial compression of the spring 44. By the time the lower limit of the operating range has been reached the arm 30 has moved out to the dotted line position, which unbalances the mechanism increasingly as the weight moves out and causes the sieve to vibrate. The weight 26 is still held in its inner position, due to the greater initial stress of its spring 46. If the speed of the shaft is increased still more until it reaches the up per limit of the normal operating range, say 2000 R. P. M., the centrifugal force of weight 36 begins to exceed the initial stress of the spring 46 and the arm 32 starts to move out toward dotted line position. If the speed continues to increase, the arm 32 finally reaches the dotted lineposition and thus balances the mechanism again. The unbalancing mechanism will therefore vibrate the sieve only within the range at which it is intended to be operated and this range can be accurately controlled by adjustment of the screws 52.

While the form of mechanism shown in Fig. 2 is the preferred embodiment of the invention, it may be changed in many ways without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, if the super-normal speed feature can be dispensed with, the mechanism may take the form shown in Fig: 3, wherein the balancing arm 32 of Fig. 2 is replaced by a stationary weight 60, which balances the weighted arm 30, 34 while the latter is in inner position.

The invention is not restricted to two weights,

though that will ordinarily be suflicient. For example, another pair of weights may be added which will be held in, until a speed still higher than that at which the second weight moves out, when a third weight will move out to unbalance the mechanism again. This would atford two distinct normal operating speeds.

While the unbalancing mechanism is preferably enclosed in a housing to protect it from the weather and for greater safety, it may also take the form of an exposed mechanism.

In its broader aspects the invention is not confined to unbalanced driving means, but applies also to crank drives wherein the crank pin can be made ,to shift from a concentric to an eccentric position in a similar way, in response to centrifugal means.

Having described my invention.

I claim:

1. The combination with a power driven shaft, of two weights connected .thereto so as to revolve therewith, each of said weights having a hunted movement outward from said shaft, said weights being adapted to balance each other when both are in inner position and when both are in outer position, and means normally holding said weights in and responsive to the centrifugal force of said weights to permit said weights to move outward upon attaining predetermined speeds of revolution which are different for the two weights.

2. An unbalancing mechanism, comprising a rotary member, balanced weighted arms pivoted axis of said rotary member, and springs of different strength restraining outward movement of said arms.

3. An unbalancing mechanism, comprising an initially balanced rotary mechanism, means operative at a predetermined rotary speed to unbalance said mechanism, and means operative at a predetermined higher rotary speed to restore the balance of said mechanism.

4. The combination with said weights being movable eccentrically in said transverse plane at a predetermined rotary speed 5. An unbalancing 

